HomeInnovative technology gives Western Australia Police the edge in decision making and rapid response

Innovative technology gives Western Australia Police the edge in decision making and rapid response

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Western Australia Police (WAPOL) has made a long-term investment in productivity gains for its teams through an agreement with Motorola Solutions to upgrade the technology system used to place officers where they are needed most.

This will assist the police force to efficiently manage its daily operations while ensuring officers can access key operational data anywhere, at any time, and on a choice of technology-agnostic devices best suited to their roles including smart phones, tablets and laptops. Together, these projects will benefit frontline officers by providing critical, timely and accurate information to help them make better informed decisions.

The technology upgrade also positions WAPOL to take advantage of future technological advancements for enhanced efficiency and improved front line support.

A complex system upgrade

CAD systems are the essential information hub between public safety agencies and the general public. They include critical information from Triple Zero (000) calls, one of the first points of contact for community members before information is dispatched to first responders in the field.

These systems collect and collate information that is essential to an officer’s daily workflow.

With WAPOL’s current CAD system approaching the end of its operational life, the force required new technology to maintain its current service levels. This led WAPOL to conduct an extensive review of CAD products globally.

Motorola Solutions, in conjunction with WAPOL, will manage complex software integration for the project. This includes gathering business intelligence and analysis, extensive design initiation works and rigorous stress testing.

It is essential for WAPOL’s CAD system transition to be managed without disrupting business continuity of policing services to the Western Australian community. Therefore, the system will be deployed within a ‘live’ environment of IT infrastructure and applications with full backup at a different location to maintain uninterrupted service.

A next generation mobility solution developed in Australia

The combination of the Mobile Intelligence Client and the upgraded CAD platform will enable WAPOL to rapidly and securely place information into the hands of first responders in the field to increase their overall situational awareness.

The upgrade is connected with WAPOL’s Connect 2020 program, which supports the agency’s Frontline 2020 reform program by significantly strengthening the connection between internal systems, external agencies and the public as well as providing access to the right information anywhere, anytime.

Motorola Solutions’ Managing Director Australia and New Zealand, Steve Crutchfield, said “At a time when public safety agencies around the world are facing increased pressure on costs and resources, WAPOL’s investment in PremierOne™ CAD and Mobile Intelligence Client technologies will enable the force to efficiently manage its resources so officers can be deployed for the greatest possible impact on community safety.

“Over time, we see an increasing role for technology solutions that maximise the use of limited resources to deliver better community safety outcomes,” Mr Crutchfield said.

The new contract with WAPOL, valued at more than $11 million, is another example of how Motorola Solutions is developing the next generation of technology solutions to help public safety agencies in Australia and New Zealand reach new levels of safety and productivity.